Final answer:
Elizabeth Proctor is a central character in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible," accused of witchcraft due to Abigail Williams' resentment and manipulation, heavily influencing the play's outcome.
Step-by-step explanation:
Elizabeth Proctor is a character from Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible," set during the Salem witch trials. In the play, she is the wife of John Proctor and is known for her moral rectitude and honesty. However, she is accused of witchcraft, and her character's trajectory is central to the play's exploring themes of accusation, guilt, and integrity.
Abigail Williams, the play's antagonist and John Proctor's former lover, harbors resentment towards Elizabeth whom she views as an obstacle to her own desire to be with John. Abigail's envious feelings lead to her manipulatively accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft, an accusation that precipitates much of the play's tragic conflict.
Abigail's feelings towards Elizabeth and the accusations she makes are pivotal to the narrative and significantly affect the outcome of the play. The animosity influences the tension and the events leading to the trial, which become central to the drama's climax and resolution.